October 31, 2008 Recipe Binder
Okay, so I'm not one to make "handy, helpful hints" on my blog (hey, I'm not even one to update my blog regularly) but I just thought of something that I do at home that might help someone with their recipes' storage.
I use a thin 3-ring binder with the clear pockets on the front and back covers where I put my most used recipes. I also use clear sheet protectors for the recipes that I pull out from magazines. For the ones I get/find on the Internet, I simply print off and three hole punch to go in the binder.
This way you can easily make dividers to fit your own specific needs. It's so easy to re-arrange the recipes, re-mark them (when you've changed one to better suit your family), and add too or take away from the mother-lode. I just keep the binder on the shelf with the other cookbooks.
:end helpful hint of the day.
~Betsy
|
Comments (2)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
February 7, 2008 Winter 2007/08 TOS
I just received my The Old Schoolhouse magazine and this issue sure is a great one! It has all the Convention news as well as an entire section devoted to FREEBIES! You can read about the Freebies at this link.
Do you have a favorite article from this issue? My favorite article has to be "Following the Iditarod" by Dena Wood. It begins on page 134. We have been reading about sled dog racing, Siberian Huskies and plan on following this year's Iditarod. Lots of good, educational fun!
Oh, and you can meet me and my family on pages 40-41! YEAH FOR TOS!!
~Betsy
|
Comments (3)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
December 20, 2006 Birthday traditions
I almost forgot to list one important "tradition" in our family this Christmas season! Our youngest ds was born a midst the festivities nine years ago. So in this busy season of a flourish of activities, we also have a birthday party. I thank the Lord almighty for our precious miracle child. Rejoice with me.
 Oh, yes...a birthday tradition at our house is CHEESECAKE!
Merry Christmas! ~Betsy
|
Comments (6)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
November 27, 2006 Lowe's free building projects!
I'm not sure if you all know that Lowe's Hardware stores has free "How to Clinics" for children. They are offered every 2nd Saturday of the month and they are FREE.
You can read more about it at the Tennessee blog where I posted about this in September.
Also Home Depot offers FREE "Learn and Grow" workshops on the 1st Saturday of each month. That info is also in my post on the Tennessee blog.
We love doing things that are free and educational. Here are our boys and their Papa enjoying a "build your own Napkin Holder" project at Lowe's. Fun, Fun!!
|
Comments (2)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
November 25, 2006 Schoolhouse Store Sale
Happy Thanksgiving weekend!
Gena has something FREE for you!
26 EPISODES plus corresponding coloring book!
TOS Magazine's The Schoolhouse Store has a serious Black Friday sale happening right now. Christmas delivery is guaranteed, too. All shipping in the online store (over 300 items) is free as well there is never a charge (any!) for shipping OR handling, no matter how much is purchased. Check out the levels certain levels get your members certain gifts, and one is the Cinnamon Bear series (audio) from Homeschool Radio Shows with coloring book. Please let your groups know about this! They can get up to $180 in freebies for participating.
By the way, since you are a homeschool LEADER, shell give you the Cinnamon Bear series all 26 episodes - and the coloring book FREE (these are downloads so youll get them within 24 hours!) if you share the Black Friday with your groups. YOU personally dont have to spend a penny. This special sale goes until Dec 2nd, so anytime between today and the 2nd that you forward the below link to your members qualifies you for this special. Just cc Gena on it when you do at publisher@thehomeschoolmagazine.com and YOU get the Cinnamon Bear series totally free without buying a thing. Remove all the verbiage, add your own short note letting your members know they can get free homeschool gifts and post the below link. Then remember to cc Gena and you get the Cinnamon Bear Package free!
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/HSBCompanyBlog/243729/
|
Comments (0)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
September 25, 2006 Science with vinegar
Okay, Letitia wants to know where she TOO can make such a neat experiment with vinegar and bones as I did here.
So I found a couple links to help you get started. NASA Explores has an experiment with chicken bones and vinegar that is really good. Teacher tips too.
There is a good one with an egg and vinegar at Kidzone Both experiments help you to teach what will happen to your bone density if you are deprived of calcium.
*edit* the first commenter has suggest that we check out the site Dentists4kids for a cool experiment about how flouride helps protect your teeth. Thanks, Suzie!
Happy science!
~Betsy
|
Comments (4)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
June 16, 2006 Charitable Sewing
Whew, finally finished with all the Creative Kindness workshops that I have been doing for the Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat and also for Senior Saints in the Smokies.
At the Women's Retreat we had 379 ladies representing 10 different states and 91 different churches! What a group! For the four weeks of Senior Saints we had a total of 1350+ retired folk around here. I don't know how many states (or countries) and churches were represented there...I don't know if they keep track of those stats.
I ended up doing 11 workshops on Creative Kindness and I had 99 ladies total that I got to share what all I've learned about sewing blessings to mend the wounds of others. I thought I'd post my outline here that might help some of you to find a great charitable sewing project for your group to do to help give a 'cup of cold water in Jesus' name' to someone in need. God Bless your efforts!
Sharing ours hearts and hands with those in need
Creative Kindness: http://www.gailbrown.com/creativekindness.htm
This book is dedicated to the generous volunteers who practice Creative Kindness every day. There are 18 projects and the real people who do them in this book. The web site also links to many other charitable sewing projects.
To honor their sharing and caring, and to help support their many diverse, worthwhile efforts, a portion of the royalties from this book will be donated to charities, on a revolving basis. Read my review of the Creative Kindness book here. To order the Creative Kindness book (#CKB5) or the Creative Kindness Continues DVD (#SN1923D) see https://www.nancysnotions.com
Sewing.org Charitable projects: http://www.sewing.org/enthusiast/html/e_charitysew.html
These step-by-step projects are not only fun to make, but they are also deeply appreciated by those who receive your special gift of comfort. Thread your needle for those in need.
Cancer Caps:
There are so many children and adults in need of a bright colored cap to wear when they lose their hair to chemotherapy. At a time when their lives are in enough turmoil, perhaps having a cap someone has made just for them, will bring some renewed hope into their life. Be sure to use soft material and/or soft yarns for these projects. Patients without hair are also self-conscious of their neck, so many would appreciate a coordinating scarf as well.
www.bevscountrycottage.com/cancercaps.html www.yarncat.com/3_Way_Cap.html
http://members.aol.com/JSchlossma/jcc.html www.chemohatpatterns.com
Knit for Kids: www.dailyguideposts.com/help/sweater.asp
Knit for Kids is a volunteer effort that connects individuals from all over the world through Guideposts. Knit for Kids creates a caring bond between people from many walks of life who send us beautifully knitted or crocheted sweaters and the thousands of children in need who receive their gifts.
Knit or Crochet slippers, boots, socks, mittens, scarves: for homeless, low income, convalescent, your local school in a poor district.
http://www.thedietdiary.com/knittingfiend/slipper/HKSlipperBoots.html
http://www.knitting-crochet.com/crochet/crosoc.html http://www.knitting-crochet.com/mithat.html
Knit or Crochet Baby Booties
Making booties to give to your local Womens Care Center or Crises Pregnancy Center so the mother may have something tangible in her hands to help her realize that her baby is REAL. Fleece blankets are easy to make and good to give also. http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/beths-booties.html
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bevs-stay on-booties.html
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/abctree.html#easy-bootie http://www.geocities.com/lindaslists/knitbooties.htm
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/shell-booties.html
http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/bevsbooties2.html
CareWear Volunteers http://www.carewear.org/
Care Wear is a nationwide group of volunteers who knit, crochet, and/or sew, providing handmade baby items to hospitals. All Care Wear items are given free to infants, children and their parents. This site has numerous patterns available for all types of projects. Sign up for their free newsletter.
More preemie sleepers and gowns http://oliviasangels.org/sleeper_sml.pdf
www.oliviasangels.org/premgown.pdf http://www.touchinglittlelives.org/ http://www.threadsoflove.org/
One Dress at a Time www.onedress.org
Making dresses for needy individuals with all the trimmings
and extras!
Sew Much Comfort www.sewmuchcomfort.org
Sewing our support for the Troops! Altering outfits for veterans with special needs.
Diapers for Honduras http://www.nemnsynod.org/diapers.html
Helping children in need by making diapers out of your old t-shirts!
Benjamin Smiles Pillow http://www.gailbrown.com/articles/Ben_Smilesinstr.htm
Small pillow cases for Ronald McDonald House or a pediatric hospital with an oncology department.
Project Linus www.projectlinus.org
Project Linus is a 100% volunteer non-profit organization. Their mission is to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteers.
Rag dolls 2 love www.ragdolls2love.org
In war, children suffer. They are the "collateral damage" politicians refer to when they dismiss civilian deaths in armed conflicts. Rag Dolls 2 Love, Inc was started to put a soft cloth doll in the hands of children in countries ravaged by war.
Sewing Charity: http://www.dotdigital.com/sewingcharity/alphabetical.html
Link to charitable sewing organizations arranged alphabetically. A must to bookmark!
A few more ideas for charitable projects:
- tote bags for the homeless to carry their things
- aprons, scrubbies, dishrags for soup kitchens (scrubbies link)(dishcloths link)
- pillow cases or cot sheets for a mission or shelter
- baby bibs for shelters with children or needy families
- altering clothing: weight reduction institutions, low income housing areas, colleges
- socks, mittens, hats, slippers for Head Start program or low-income pre-schools
- Jammies for Jesus making pjs for orphanages/missionaries around the world.
A few ideas on how to find out about needs in your area:
- Contact your local hospital and ask for the volunteer coordinator.
- Look in the Yellow Pages under "Social Services Organizations" or "Crisis Intervention Services". Call and ask how you can help.
- Contact a local nursing home, hospice, or shelter
- Ask friends, coworkers, ministers if they know of an organization that can use handmade items.
- Ask at the local school if they know of organizations that provide assistance to families in need.
- Ask your local police or sheriff's department or city hall.
I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine,
you did for me. Matthew 25:40
|
Comments (4)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
May 9, 2006 The Bored Wheel
Do you ever find your children walking around with 'nothing to do'? Do they seem to run out of ideas to keep them busy, too soon after spring/summer break begins? They think they are BORED. This is my dc and then some! We don't watch TV at our house (see this post) so our dc spend all day during breaks looking for things to do/make/play. That's where our "Bored Wheel" comes in handy.
We made a cardboard spinner with 30 numbered divisions on it. On the back of the "Bored Wheel" we have listed #1-30 with an idea to do beside each number. Examples: play Lego, read, do puzzles, ride bikes, make a craft, wash the car, practice the piano, clean your room, go fishing...etc. As you can see, some things are more fun to do than others. Our rule is that if you choose to spin the "Bored Wheel" then you MUST do whatever it says. Fun or not so fun. This (sometimes) helps them to think of their own things to do without using the "wheel"...they are afraid they will have to 'dust the house' or some other such tragic job.
I got this idea from a friend who has a "Bored Box" where she lists on small slips of paper different ideas and her dc draw from the box when bored. I thought my 'wheel' idea would take up less shelf space.
Right now my dc (ages 11 and 8) are making race cars out of large boxes they found in the basement. Creativity stretches their minds. I love my job!
~Betsy
|
Comments (10)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
May 4, 2006 Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat
I know I've written about this before, but it was long ago, and the Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat will be here in two weeks! YIKES! That's not very far away. And do you think I'm ready for my workshop? Well, I certainly hope so. I've been working on it for 6 months now.
This year I've been asked to lead a workshop entitled "Sowing Blessings as I Sew". It's about charitable sewing projects. I've found so many great ideas on things you can make for those less fortunate. I've found tons of web sites and email loops and even a book all about sharing your talents of sewing/knitting/crocheting with the hurting people around you. I think the workshop will be very beneficial to those who attend. I have many samples of items to share and also door prizes to give away.
If you live in or near Tennessee and can get to Johnson Bible College for our Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat on May 19th and 20th, I would like to meet with you! This year's theme is "Blessed to be a Blessing" and we have already pre-registered 350 ladies from Tennessee and the surrounding states.
So Sarah, Maria, Gena, Jen, Letitia, Kris, Jennifer, AmyBeth, Annemarie, Dawn and others...you all live near enough. How about signing up for a great weekend with the girls!
Visit the Smoky Mountain Women's Retreat web page for on-line registration forms. (for driving directions to JBC click here)
See you then!
~Betsy
|
Comments (3)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
April 12, 2006 Homeschooling the High Schooler March 30, 2006 Parenting in Stages
Ive been reading this weekly magazine for years. The past three weeks they have been doing a series on parenting. I thought someone might benefit from these articles concerning the three different stages of parenting:
1) Parenting Children and Teens March 12, 2006 issue
Someone Other than Mom and Dad
Winning the Home Games
Surviving the Terrible Teens
HomeLife: Complementary Parenting (March 12, 2006, issue 11)
HomeLife: Staying Close to your Teen (March 26, 2006, issue 13)
2) Parenting Adult Children March 19, 2006 issue
Youre Not Finished Yet
Training Them to Take Our Place
What Your Adult Children Want and Need
3) Giving Back to Your Aging Parents March 26, 2006 issue
Love Through Lifes Changes
The Delicate Balance: Caring for Aging Parents
Older Parents and the Golden Rule
All articles are from The Lookout for Todays Growing Christian and linked to that site.
THE LOOKOUT is a 16-page, full-color weekly magazine from Standard Publishing with a circulation of 70,000.
THE LOOKOUT is written and designed to provide Christian adults with true-to-the-Bible teaching and current information that will help them fulfill their desire to mature as individual believers, develop godly homes, and live in the world as faithful witnesses of Christ. In short, we want to help our readers understand and respond to the world from a biblically based viewpoint.
THE LOOKOUT publishes from a theologically conservative, nondenominational, and noncharismatic perspective. It is a member of the Evangelical Press Association.
|
Comments (1)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
March 25, 2006 Homeschooling...book review
eBook review of "Homeschooling the High Schooler, from Transcripts to Graduation":
Having already graduated one child from homeschool, I really didnt think I would have trouble with homeschooling high school. But the closer my almost 12 year old gets to high school, the more stressed out I am becoming! After reading this new e-book Homeschooling the High Schooler, from Transcripts to Graduation by Paul & Gena Suarez, I have gained the confidence back that I CAN do this. This e-book is filled with practical advice and realistic ideas that will help any one considering home-schooling through the high school years. It is a compilation of the wisdom and insight from many different notables from the realms of homeschooling. I highly recommend this book to anyone with high school aged children, both at home and coming home to learn.
|
Comments (1)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
February 27, 2006 Teach your Child How to Pray
We tend to look at prayer as an aid to our lives, but God intended it to be the foundation. Teaching our children to have a regular and healthy prayer life brings many advantages.
- Joy and peace. Look at John 16:24 and Isaiah 26:3.
- Personal growth. See how Proverbs 2:3-6 promises wisdom and understanding.
- Strength and courage. By giving our children the resource of prayer, we provide them with the tools to face their world.
- Guidance and direction. God has a purpose for each of us (Psalm 57:2).
- Protection. Check out Psalm 22:4 and 34:17.
- Provision. Our children pray to a loving Father, who has both the desire and power to grant them all that they need.
- Help and encouragement. Through their prayers, our children find the grace to face their daily strugggles.
- Promotion and honor. God exalts those who honor Him. Read 1 Samuel 2:7 and James 4:10.
-Rick Osborne, adapted from Teaching Your Child How to Pray ©2000, published by Moody Press
|
Comments (3)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
February 23, 2006 Creative Kindness
Creative Kindness
(a book review)
I am preparing to lead a workshop on charitable sewing at an area Women’s Retreat. An acquaintance directed me to the Creative Kindness book by Nancy Zieman with Gail Brown. I had been searching on the Internet for charitable sewing projects, but I found this book contained EVERYTHING I needed to know about serving others with sewing. Creative Kindness contains real stories about real projects and people, and also contains several patterns with step by step instructions for you to make yourself. I was so impressed by how easy it will be to make a charitable sewing project or start a charitable sewing club with the help of Creative Kindness. I will be very well prepared for my workshop with this book as my guide. Thank you Gail and Nancy, for sharing your talents with us. Read more about this at NancysNotions.com
~Betsy
|
Comments (1)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
February 13, 2006 Training Troops for the Kingdom
"And what is it you do?" When this
question came up at social events, the young stay-at-home mom was never
quite sure how to answer. Finally she went to God and asked him,
"What is it I do?" From that day on, she responded confidently,
"I am raising an army fit for the Lord."
This is the opening paragraph from an article titled "Training Troops for the Kingdom"
by Lettie Kirkpatrick Burress. Follow the link to read the entire
article that contains suggestions on how to continually feed our
children the words of God.
~Betsy
|
Comments (1)
Leave a comment!
Permanent Link
|
|
|
|
|
